Ankle brace

Abstract

A foot and ankle brace is provided which is adapted to be worn within an athletic shoe to provide support for the foot and ankle while permitting limited inversion and eversion of the foot together with unlimited dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. There is provided an inner member including a foot plate which extends around the heel and protects the instep. An inner brace member comprising a U-shaped upper end portion engages the leg above the ankle and integrally formed with the U-shaped member are downwardly extending arms which are pivotally mounted on the upper edge portion of the foot plate. The inner brace is flexible so that it permits inversion and eversion of the foot as well as unlimited dorsiflexion and plantar flexion movement due to the pivotal joint in the inner member. An outer brace member formed of relatively rigid material has a stirrup which fits beneath the foot plate of the inner member and has a U-shaped brace member which fits over the brace member on the inner member and the outer member has a pair of integrally formed arms extending downwardly to a pivoted joint disposed over the pivoted joint in the inner member. The outer member is also provided with hinges on the downwardly extending arms hinges permit limited inversion and eversion movement of the foot.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patents is: 
     
       1. An ankle brace comprising, in combination, a foot plate, means for supporting the ankle comprising a pair of upwardly extending arms pivotally mounted on the sides of said foot plate at the lower ends of the arms to permit forward and rearward motion of the arms with respect to the foot plate, said pair of arms being flexible to permit lateral movement of the arms with respect to the foot plate, upwardly extending meansoverlying the outer faces of the upwardly extending portions of said arms and pivotally mounted on said foot plate, said upwardly extending means including means for limiting the lateral movement of the arms with respect to the foot plate and means on the upper ends of the arms to engage the leg of the wearer. 
     
     
       2. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein the pivotal mounting between the arms and foot plate is directly below the ankle of the wearer. 
     
     
       3. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein the means on the upper ends of the arms to engage the leg of the wearer comprises a U-shaped generally horizontal bar integrally formed with said pair of arms, said U-shaped bar extending around the back of the leg of the wearer. 
     
     
       4. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein said means on the outer faces of said arms for limiting the lateral movement of the arms with respect to the foot plate comprises a pair of braces extending contiguously with the outer faces of said arms, and further including hinge means on said braces, said hinge means having limit stops thereon to prevent lateral movement of said arms with respect to said foot plate beyond a predetermined angle. 
     
     
       5. An ankle brace according to claim 4 wherein said braces are made of a nonflexible material. 
     
     
       6. An ankle brace according to claim 4 wherein said hinge means with limit stops permits lateral movement of the leg with respect to the foot of the wearer up to 20° inversion and 10° eversion. 
     
     
       7. An ankle brace according to claim 4 wherein said means for limiting the lateral movement of the arms with respect to the foot plate further comprises a stirrup extending beneath the foot plate, said stirrup having an upwardly extending flange on each side of said stirrup, means for pivotally mounting said braces on said flanges to permit forward and rearward movement of said braces. 
     
     
       8. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein said foot plate extends upwardly around the heel of the foot and extends forwardly adjacent the metatarsal joints. 
     
     
       9. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein said foot plate includes integrally formed extensions on each side of the foot plate beneath the ankle of the wearer, said arms being pivotally mounted on said extensions. 
     
     
       10. A brace to be fitted on the foot and leg to provide support for the ankle, comprising, in combination, a foot plate, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said foot plate beneath the ankle, the upper ends of the arms being interconnected with a U-shaped member extending around the back of the leg, said arms being flexible to provide for lateral movement of the leg with respect to the foot, the pivotal mounting of the arms with respect to the foot plate permitting forward and rearward movement of the leg with respect to the foot and upwardly extending means pivotally mounted on the foot plate and overlying said upper ends of said arms, said upwardly extending means including means for limiting the lateral movement of the leg with respect to the foot. 
     
     
       11. A brace according to claim 10 wherein said last named means comprises a pair of members extending substantially parallel to said arms, hinge means on said members, said hinge means having limit stops thereon to prevent lateral movement of said arms with respect to said foot plate beyond a predetermined angle. 
     
     
       12. A brace according to claim 11 wherein said hinge means with limit stops permits lateral movement of the leg with respect to the foot up to 20° inversion and 10° eversion. 
     
     
       13. A brace according to claim 11 and further including a stirrup extending beneath the foot plate, said stirrup pivotally mounting said member to permit forward and rearward movement of said members with respect to the foot plate. 
     
     
       14. A brace according to claim 13 wherein said pivotal mountings of said stirrup and said members are disposed immediately adjacent the pivotal mountings of the arms and foot plate.